The art of giuing Describing the true nature, and right vse of liberality: and prouing that these dayes of the gospell haue farre exceeded the former times of superstition in true charitie and magnificence. By Thomas Cooper.

CHAP. XX. (Book 20)

Other tentations whereby couetous men would excuse one charge with another.

Hearken I pray how Satan assa••••ts them.

1 VVHat art thou not charged suffi∣ciently with expences for the Common-wealth,* 1.1 and to the Prince, how many occasions are offered to draw mony from thee? Is not this sufficient for one, are not these to goe for beneficence: and may they not excuse thee to be more sparing another way? Nay, doest thou not giue (as thou art ceased,) weekely contributions? doest thou not more∣ouer giue some Almes at thy doore, and what more can they require at thy hands?

I call to minde my offences this day:* 1.2 indeede it is vnmercifulnesse that is the especiall meanes to draw downe iudge∣ments vpon the land, as famine, wars, &c. and I cannot excuse my self herein: And shall I seeke to remoue the iudgement

by the encrease of my sinne? shall I help forward he affliction by my vnmerci∣fulnesse?

2 If God hath enabled mee to doe the greater good, namely, to relieue my Prince and Country, shall I disinable my selfe to doe the lesse, seeing the char∣ges of the Prince are so moderate and conscionable?

3 If my Prince be partaker of my goods, &c. is it any more then is due vnto him? Nay, owe I him not my body goods and all? And doth not he plenti∣fully make me amends by the benefit of the law? May I not ease my selfe? nay, do not rich men beare least of this burthen? Is not the protection of the Prince a suf∣ficient recompence hereof? Am I not hereby better enabled to doe good to others?

4 Besides, what triall is this of my bounty to doe that which is due? Nay what will be exacted of mee whether I will or no? Ought I not therefore to doe good otherwise, where it is in my choyce?

5 If the Lord offer extraordinarie

publike occasions: this shall not hinder me to shew my willing minde: what I am able (God willing) I will beare a part in the burthen, and ease the affliction.

6 As for determining what is suffici∣ent it is not in my choyse where God commands the contrary, and therefore I may not neglect the poore, though I thinke I am sufficiently charged else∣where, seeing the same God that com∣mands, will enable me to performe.

7 And what if I giue weekely to the poore? this I am compelled to: and what triall is heere? this I may doe of vaine-glory: and where is then my re∣ward? doth not my God daily giue? doth hee stint his mercies? Is not his hand continually enlarged? and shall I shut my bounty? where he offers occa∣sion?

8 As for the Almes that is giuen at my doore, this is wrung from me, and done vsually for custome: I must moreouer visite the fatherlesse, if I will be truely religious: and seeke out where I may doe good, not onely be sought to for it.

9 It is not what man may require or be contented withall, but what my God requires and enables me to per∣forme, my conscience witnessing here∣vnto, and occasions offered to manifest the same.

A second Tentation that sets vpon vs, in this kinde, is drawne from

1 Such contributions and layes as are leauied about the Church, for repa∣rations.

2 That which goes out towards the maintenance of the Ministery.

3 For Bread and Wine at the Com∣munion, &c.

Hereupon Satan vrgeth thus.

God is a Spirit, and he will be worship∣ped in Spirit, what then neede so much about outward decencie and comeli∣nesse?

1 Why should the Ministers take Tythes in these dayes? This is Iudaisme, which they say, is abolished; 2. Why ought they not to labour with their

hands, as the Apostles did, to ease the charge of the people.

3 Why will not a reading Minister serue the turne, who will serue for lesse? Seeing thou mayest as well edifie by him, as by a Preacher, whom thou canst not vnderstand, who will seeke to curbe thee, and crosse thee in thy pleasures? And if I must needs be charged with all these, is not this great liberality? Can you require more at my hands?

For answere hereunto.

1 Know wee that spirituall worship cannot be performed publikely without the helpe of the body:* 1.3 for which, seeing there must be a set place of Gods wor∣ship; therefore it is fit it be so prouided, that not onely the body be sheltred from iniury and danger, but fitted also by de∣cency and order to the seruice of God.

2 Which seeing it may be done with∣out excessiue charge, therefore much the rather ought conuenient cost to be bestowed hereupon.

3 And if the Lord be at the cost to bestow his sonne vpon vs, is it not reaso∣nable

that we should be at the charge of such sacramentall signes as may repre∣sent and seale vp the benefit of our sal∣uation vnto vs?

4 As for Tithes due to the maintenance of the Ministery, howsoeuer they were inioyned by the ceremoniall law, yet the equity of them is morall, and so to con∣tinue for euer.

1 Because they were paid by the law of Nature, before euer the Ceremoniall law was instituted. Heb. 7. 9. 10.

2 They are not now required to be paid in any ceremonious or figurate re∣spect, but as a morall duty, to the vphol∣ding and maintenance of the diuine wor∣ship, according to the affirmatiue part of the second commandement, of the first Table: And as a duty of ciuill honour and iustice, according to the fift & eight commandement of the second Table.

3 As the Sabbath remaynes, though the Ceremony be changed, so ought Tithes to remayne for the maintenance of the ministery, to the sanctifying of the Sabbath, the Ceremony being re∣moued.

4 Vnlesse the Christian Magistrate (in whose hands the ordering of such things doth lie) shall determine of a like bountifull and constant course for the set maintenance of the Ministery.

As for the example of the Apostle Paul in working with his owne hands.

1 There was no other of the Apostles but he, that did so.

2 He presseth none to doe the like by his example, vnlesse vpon very speciall and extraordinary occasion as 1 Cor. 11. 7. 8. 9. 10.

3 Nay as allowing a certayne and set∣led course of maintenance, he preuents & meets with this vnkinde obiection of this kinde of people, as 1 Cor. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 18.

4 Besides the times then and now are different.

1 Then the Church was in her cradle, now shee is in her growth, then not e∣stablished by the Magistrate, who is the approuer and confirmer of the mainte∣nance of Ministers, as now it is. 2 Then the Apostles were furnished with extra∣ordinary gifts of miracles, &c. to procure

and compel extraordinary maintenance. Act. 5. Now these gifts are ceased.

3 Then mens hearts were inflamed with the power of godlinesse. For then happy was hee that could lay downe his possessions at the feete of the A∣postles. But

Now the forme of Godlinesse hath bred coldnesse of compassion, so that glad is hee that can withdraw from the Ministery.

4 There the zeale of teaching sub∣dued men to the Church. Now the zeale of teaching, because the Haruest is well in, driues hypocrites out of the Church. And winnowes the Wheat into a narrow compasse. And therefore if the Ministe∣rie should not haue a set maintenance, seeing it necessarily prouokes enmitie, and maintaynes such opposition against the world, little voluntary deuotion would appeare.

Lastly, let these consider what their fore∣fathers haue parted with to the Queene of heauen, and the Golden Calfe, &c. Ier. 44. Exod. 32. And see whether their blinde deuotion will not condemne this

repining of their children to maintaine the sinceritie of Gods worship.

Nay let them wisely consider whe∣ther they spend not more vnnecessarily and wickedly vpon the idols of their belly and backe, then vpon the mainte∣nance of the worship of God.

And if they can content themselues with a Leuite that wil serue for ten Shec∣kels, and a suite of rayment, because they will not be at the charge of the preach∣ing of the Gospell, let them looke to be serued as Micha was, their Leuite will be the man to betray their soules, through ignorance, prophannesse and the like, and if he can finde a better Master, their hireling will shew them a fayre payre of heeles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tent. 4.
• * 1.2

  Answ.
• * 1.3

  Answ.